The Chairman of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, Edward Leigh
MP, has written to Michael Fabricant telling him that he has now asked the
National Audit Office to investigate miners’ pensions.

This follows a meeting Michael had at the end of January with retired miners
from the Cannock area coal fields when he was told of hundreds of millions
of pounds which are being seized by Gordon Brown’s Treasury each year from
two miners’ pensions funds. Michael now says "I wrote to the Public
Accounts Committee as I promised at the meeting and I am delighted that its
Chairman has now agreed to ask the National Audit Office to investigate the
case.

"The NAO might say that there is no case to answer after a preliminary
investigation or they may well initiate a full scale inquiry. I and the
miners must now wait for their response. I hope they will proceed with an
investigation. Meanwhile, I am also waiting to hear from Government
ministers whether they will meet with a delegation of ex-miners from my
constituency to discuss their pensions." Mr Fabricant adds.

For details of the meeting with the former miners on 30th July 2004, click
on: www.michael.fabricant.mp.co.uk/news-00376.ihtml